“Kevin Durant was more efficient than Giannis Antetokounmpo vs Celtics”: True shooting percentage reveals the struggle of two best players in the league against Jayson Tatum and co

First, they did it to Kevin Durant in 4 games, now they do it to Giannis Antetokounmpo in 7, Celtics have successfully defused two of the best players in the league

The Boston Celtics have done it, they have defeated the defending champions Milwaukee Bucks and have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals to face the Miami Heat.

The 7-game series against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co didn’t come easy at all, despite Khris Middleton’s absence. But the best defense of the league finally got the better of the #3 offense by simply slowing down their best player.

Also read: “Not LeBron James, not Stephen Curry, I want Giannis!”: Damian Lillard picks Bucks MVP as the only current player he’d count on to take him to Finals

The Greek posted some of the best numbers in a Playoffs series averaging 34 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists a game but still couldn’t get his team through the gritty Celtics team who just wouldn’t accept defeat, whomever they are facing.

They were able to stop both teams by targeting and disrupting their best players, and it worked like a charm. And as it turns out Kevin Durant who was heavily critiqued for his performance after the Nets’ 0-4 defeat wasn’t as bad as Giannis efficiency-wise.

Celtics held both Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo at low efficiencies, but who was worse?

With the odds of +4000 at the start of the season, the C’s have defeated the Nets (+250) who had the best odds, and now the Bucks (+800) who had the 3rd best odds. And they did it by consistently targeting the best player of the opposition.

While they were able to stop the ever so efficient Slim Reaper at 39% from the field, 33% from the 3-point line, and 90% from the free-throw line, they stopped Giannis at 46-25-68. That equates to a 52.6 true shooting percentage for KD to Giannis’ 51.6% TS.

 pic.twitter.com/2GScdx2aNp

— KDprime7 (@forthefacts) May 15, 2022

But the difference in slander that the 2x NBA champ Durant received throughout the Nets-Celtics series was way more than Giannis’ who’s getting the benefit of Middleton’s absence from his side.

Also read: “Luka Doncic is a new age version of Larry Bird, but could never be in the GOAT conversation”: Chris Broussard claims that the Mavs MVP could at best be a top 10 player of all time once he retires

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

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